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I considered skipping this month’s September catch-up but didn’t let it go by without letting everyone know what’s been going on. My pan de medianoche was chosen by three guys from Miami as their food photo of the month which is great since they were nice enough to let me use their recipe in the first place. Hungry Sofia was also featured on the Food Network‘s Food2 site with more to come and received a great write-up in Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs’ Food52. Of course, when anything good happens on my site, Steven Shaw, eGullet founder and Director of New Media Studies at The International Culinary Center, is the first person I let know. Read more

After a wonderful fall break, I thought it was appropriate to wake up my blog the same way I wake up myself – with a cortadito. Landing in Paris was exhilarating, tinged with pink and capped with gold, the city smells like butter. From the first moment, I wanted to go in twenty directions at once. Exhausted but not wanting to lose the day, we went to the closest cafe for a quick lunch before heading out. Ordering in broken French, our waiter responded in broken Spanish. We weren’t getting very far until he hit on exactly what we were looking for – a cortado. Relieved to be understood, I finally felt awake. Read more

It’s been an incredible summer. An incredibly hot summer, but fun and busy nonetheless. I’ll be on a short break until next week and feel a little apprehensive at the the thought of going away. I’m happy to disconnect for a few days but anxious about doing it in a city where food inspiration is on every corner. Here’s how I plan on going about it – strictly tourist.

I saw a reference describing end of summer/start of fall cooking as “valedictory meals”. I prefer to think of this time as a cross-fade. As one season quiets down, another one starts to roar, but for at least a moment they make the same sound. To take advantage of the markets in transition, I made an Argentinian Carbonada Criolla, a heavy beef stew lightened with peaches, pears and corn served in a pumpkin last September. This year I decided to try Mexico’s chiles en nogada. Pork or beef picadillo stuffed into poblano chiles, it’s covered in a chilled, creamy walnut sauce and garnished with pomegranate seeds. Read more

Nothing takes the fear out of making a soufflé like making three in a row. I found a recipe for one combined with amaranth that I couldn’t wait to try. My training for this year’s New York City marathon is nearing the 20-mile mark so I’ve been cooking up batches of amaranth to have on hand for cereal topped with honey and fruit. While adding eggs and cheese may not be the best way to enjoy my vitamin high grain, it sounded wonderful and I’d been so good. Read more

To celebrate the official end of summer, here’s a recipe for a Technicolor Labor Day: combine a pink dress, light clapping down a short flight of steps, William Holden, and lots of moonglow. Stir until smooth and easy. Serve.

My monthly ñoquis del 29 post is either very late or extremely early. Meant to bring luck when eaten at the end of the month, I was unlucky the first time I tried to make these gnocchi di susine or plum gnocchis. A Triestian recipe similar to pierogis, they reflect the region’s blend of Mediterranean, Austrian, Hungarian, and Slavic cuisine. I thought it would be a great way to use the late summer plums that are filling the markets and fulfill my August gnocchi post – two birds, lots of stone fruit. Read more